It is with great sadness that we report the deaths of two maritime workers following a fatal confined space incident aboard the freight barge WAYNEHOE, moored approximately 25 miles northwest of Ketchikan, Alaska, near Skowl Arm on Prince of Wales Island. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, watchstanders at Coast…
A prompt U.S. Coast Guard response saved three fishermen’s lives off the coast of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, on Wednesday March 11th, 2026, after the 40-foot F/V VESTA RENEE sank approximately 23 miles offshore. The distress call came in at 7:03 a.m., when the crew radioed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern…
The maritime community lost one of its finest on March 5th, 2026. Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Tyler Jaggers, assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, passed away from critical injuries sustained while rescuing a distressed mariner from a commercial vessel offshore. On February 27, 2026, Jaggers was part…
Last week, the commercial fishing community experienced a significant loss with the passing of one of its members, affecting people well beyond the industry itself. Todd Morgan Meadows, 25, a deckhand aboard the F/V ALEUTIAN LADY and a familiar face to fans of Deadliest Catch, passed away on February 25,…
Before any commercial fishing vessel leaves the dock in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, or California, captains perform an essential task; they check the weather forecast. Marine forecasts, buoy data, and storm advisories determine whether a crew goes out. That information comes from a federal infrastructure system most fishermen take for granted,…
The USCGC FREDERICK MANN is the sixth Fast Response Cutter (FRC) assigned to the Arctic District and the third for Kodiak. These aren’t ceremonial vessels, they are crucial for conducting search and rescue operations when fishing vessels are in distress, patrol fisheries to protect one of the nation’s most valuable…
The U.S. Coast Guard has officially launched a district-level investigation into the sinking of the fishing vessel LILY JEAN, which occurred approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and resulted in the loss of seven lives. Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Northeast District, Rear Adm. Michael Platt, authorized the…
It is with great sadness that we report the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for the F/V LILY JEAN after more than 24 hours of effort by air and sea turned up no survivors. One body was recovered from the water. Six crew members remain missing and are…
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two fishermen Wednesday morning after their vessel ran aground on rocks near Pasagshak Bay, approximately two miles offshore from Kodiak Island. The 41-foot F/V QUANTUM, based out of Homer, struck rocks surrounding a small island near Ugak and Pasagshak Bays around 7:08 a.m. on January…
If you were hurt while working on a commercial fishing boat, you might have questions about your legal rights and protections. Unlike most land-based workers, commercial fishermen typically cannot access state workers’ compensation benefits. Instead, your rights fall under Federal Maritime Law and the Jones Act, legal frameworks specifically designed…